KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Law Society (SLS) has filed legal proceedings in the High Court here against the Malaysian Government to uphold the constitutional safeguards guaranteed to Sabah and Sarawak under the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
SLS president Datuk Mohamed Nazim Maduarin said on Thursday that the case seeks to ensure any move to declare the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Federal Constitution as the authoritative text is done in full compliance with constitutional requirements.
He said the action is not against Bahasa Malaysia as the national language but is meant to preserve due constitutional process, citing discrepancies between the English and Bahasa Malaysia texts that could affect matters such as religion, language, and native rights.
Nazim said the SLS is concerned that bypassing proper amendment procedures could undermine the safeguards promised to Sabah and Sarawak in 1963, noting that material differences already exist between both versions of the Constitution.
He added that the legal action, led by former SLS president Datuk Roger Chin, aims to protect the supremacy of the Federal Constitution and ensure the King’s role under Article 160B remains constitutionally safeguarded.